At the same time, wider healthcare systems need to direct greater support to providers whilst undergoing significant structural change of their own as Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) take shape. 

In healthcare, it is our people who are our greatest asset. And yet, there has been too little investment for too long to ensure an adequate pipeline of doctors, nurses, allied health professional and other scientific, technical and support staff to provide rapid, effective and joined up care pathways for those who need them most. The structures we work within too, have in many cases prevented us from working to our collaborative potential across organisational boundaries.

This is why our approach at Gobeyond Partners focuses on the ‘human experience’ at the very heart of healthcare. It is only by addressing the ever more critical workforce challenges that we can improve the experience for our valued clinical teams. In doing so we are best placed to strengthen and join up clinical services to improve the experience for patients and service users.

From these human experience benefits also come cost savings and better utilisation of our legacy estates. These are all intrinsically linked.

Challenge accepted

In 2022 your organisation already has a unique and evolving set of pressures but we are ready to support you on the journey:

• Acute providers and new alliances will need workforce planning and waiting list processing support to start clearing elective care backlogs, as well as support to harness tech opportunities such as virtual wards.
• Diagnostics services are rapidly expanding to support rapid cancer pathways but both community and acute-based centres will need to be staffed in creative ways until we can move to our preferred model.
• In mental health services, we will need forward-looking skill mix design and improved pathways as we develop and grow our community teams at scale.
• ICSs will need stronger operating models, governance and hands-on development support as their boards (ICBs) become influential overseers of our health service, and adopt new population health approaches.
• Primary care will need new ways of working to achieve the right balance of face-to-face appointments, supporting team resilience and moving towards ‘primary care at scale’ and expanding multi-disciplinary teams through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS).

Underpinning all of these, we need to look after all of our people – clinical, operational and administrative – so they can thrive and provide the best levels of care for patients and service users.